The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has facilitated savings exceeding N348.8 million for stakeholders in the maritime sector during the first quarter of 2026.
This was achieved through its dedicated complaints and dispute resolution mechanism, which remains a critical tool for maintaining industrial harmony.
According to the Council’s quarterly data, the agency handled 32 complaints during the period under review.
It successfully resolved 19 cases, while 12 remain under investigation and one case has been closed. These interventions enabled importers, exporters, freight forwarders, shipping agents, and other port users to recover or avoid losses totaling N348,813,072.06.
Shipping companies and their agents were the primary subjects of these disputes, recording the highest volume of grievances with 22 cases filed against them.
Other complaints were directed at seaport terminal operators, government agencies, exporters, importers, de-consolidators, freight forwarders, and clearing agents.
The report revealed that container deposit refund disputes topped the list of grievances with five cases, followed closely by arbitrary charges with four cases.
Other recurring issues identified included unsettled demurrage, missing cargo, service failures, damaged cargo, wrong ports of discharge, and the non-release of auctioned cargo.
Additional matters handled by the Council involved delays in cargo transfer, invoice cancellations, breaches of trust, export fraud, a lack of telex releases, and delays in export documentation.
Disputes related to waivers, vessel demurrage, and breaches of contract also featured in the quarterly report.
The data underscores the persistent operational and commercial challenges within the nation’s port system, as most complainants were shippers specifically importers and exporters alongside freight forwarders and shipping agents.
The NSC’s successful mediation highlights its growing role in protecting stakeholder interests and enhancing the ease of doing business in Nigeria’s maritime domain.